Emily Chan
Smartphones have become a necessity in the modern world. At this point, many of us can’t even imagine life without them. Even though people may consider them as vital tools that help them function, the devices actually have detrimental effects on our health.
Researchers have discovered that frequent use of mobile phones can lead to a greater chance of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes. In a new study, data from more than 440,000 individuals in the U.K. Biobank project was analyzed.
The research team tracked the participants for an average of 12.3 years and made note of who developed cardiovascular diseases during this period.
The findings showed that individuals who used their mobile phones for an hour or more each week had a 10 percent higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases compared to those who used their phones less often.
The study does not prove that there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between mobile phone use and heart problems. Rather, it’s a combination of lifestyle factors and phone habits that influence heart health.
The most interesting discovery was that the link between regular phone use and heart disease was strongest among current smokers and people with diabetes. They had an even higher risk of developing cardiovascular issues, suggesting that mobile phone use might be exacerbating risk factors for heart disease that already exist.
There are several possible reasons behind this connection. For one, spending too much time on our phones, especially late into the night, can disrupt our sleeping patterns. Poor sleep quality has been affiliated with an increased risk of heart issues for a long time.
In addition, excessive phone use might be contributing to psychological distress and neuroticism, a trait associated with negative emotions like depression and anxiety, which have also been linked to an elevated risk of heart disease.
Sleep quality, psychological distress, and neuroticism all account for a large part of the relationship between phone use and cardiovascular disease risk. So, the act of using your phone itself is not inherently the problem; it’s the ways that it affects your lifestyle and well-being.
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